“The man who moves a mountain begins
by carrying away small stones.”
-Confucius
My professor in college once taught us about Kaizen and until today it has remained as a great philosophy to me when it comes to the perspective of business. However this is not just something we can do in business, Kaizen is a philosophy we can use in our life and within ourselves.
Here’s the Kaizen way to upgrade yourself.
Kaizen is a combined Japanese words “Kai-” which means “change” and “-zen” which means “good”. According to Toyota, Kaizen means “continuous improvement” or “small incremental improvements” of all areas of a company, not just manufacturing. If we continue talking about Kaizen in business way, I might have to include some methodologies and charts, and I’m not going to do that haha.
Basically, Kaizen means “change for the better” and “continuous improvement”. It’s a practice of taking small step to continuously improve for the better.
“Attempts to reach goals through radical or revolutionary
means often fail because they heighten fear.
But the small steps of Kaizen disarm the brains fear response,
stimulating rational thought and creative play.”
- Robert Maurer Ph.D.
Take very small steps
Keep in mind that as long as you’re doing something towards your goal, you are moving forward and you are walking towards your destination. For example, if you want to start being mindful, start with little step like appreciating the view. If you want to be minimal, start with deleting the unnecessary files on your phone. If you want to get fit, start by taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
It’s the small step that truly counts. You don’t have to take an unnecessary huge step. Break down your goals. Take one step at a time, and be consistent.
“Small rewards are the perfect encouragement.
Not only are they inexpensive and convenient,
but they also stimulate the internal motivation
required for lasting change.”
- Robert Maurer Ph. D.
Give yourself small rewards
Even just as simple as encouragement and praise, or giving yourself a square of chocolate, reward is reward, and reward motivates us to get things done. And once you’re being consistent, you are actually developing those tasks and small steps as a routine. For example, once you finished one school assignment, you get to watch one YouTube vlog. Keep balance and be wise.
If I were to give a personal example, I’d say that I hate exercising. I’m the only one in the family who exercises, but I don’t do it often. However, every time I push myself to exercise (even just for 10-30 minutes), I always always feel so good about myself afterwards because I’m doing something to improve myself. So I kind of, get this pride that “Hey Fads, you exercised, you are improving, and you will change because you are doing something.”
To achieve a bold goal, simply focus on smallest step you can take to make progress. The steps may be small, but the improvement and change you’ll experience won’t be.
The Astron
Photo by:
Andrew Neel on Unsplash
wow great blog post! thanks for sharing
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Elegant Duchess
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Thank youu! I'm actually so thankful to my profs because they've taught me so much.
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ReplyDeleteIt's nice to reward our self sometimes.
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Thank youu! Yes to that!
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Thank youuuu~
DeleteIt is always good to take small steps towards improvement. Sometimes we get too impatient and just try and tackle as much as we can as fast as possible.
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Consistency is the key.
DeleteIts all about the small steps indeed! Couldn't agree more. Thank you for the push.
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DeleteI love this way of looking at goals. I know some people say that it's all or nothing, but I always thought that small steps were the way to really get to your goal.
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Yes to that!
DeleteGreat post! I love the idea of small rewarda :)
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Thank you Nicole!!
DeleteThis makes me think of the saying, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." :)
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Awww really. Glad to hear that!
DeleteI like the meaning behind the word Kaizen-it gives off very positive vibes which I'm always trying to get hold of.😊 All the points you mentioned in this post, I always try to consider when undertaking my goals, like my goal of working out a little every day and being as productive as possible throughout the the holiday. Anyway, I'm gonna cut this comment short, thanks so much for sharing a new word and have a good day.😊
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Thank you for appreciating the idea!
DeleteI love posts like this! They are so uplifting and something I think we all need in our lives!
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Amy x Wandering Everywhere
Yayy, I'm so glad to hear that.
DeleteWhat a great post! I'd heard of Kaizen in the business context but it's nice seeing a way you could apply it to everyday life too! :)
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a nice weekend! :) It's a busy one here, lots of rushing around, but also some family time which is nice :)
Away From The Blue Blog
Thank you! Yes we really use this word in business, but we can definitely apply it to our everyday life. I'm so glad to hear that you're having a great time with your family.
DeleteThese are some beautiful ideas for self improvement - thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHeather xoxo
https://www.hefafa.me.uk
Thanks for appreciating!
DeleteWhat a fascinating concept; thank you so much for sharing this on your blog - I'd never heard of it before. It's pretty incredible to think about what we can achieve by taking small, manageable steps each day :)
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Thank youu, Gabrielle. You definitely got the point!
DeleteSuch a powerful and insightful post, we really relate to this style! The name of the concept is new to us, but we were already following those steps. It is amazing how it truly works, even more when you visualize yourself achieving the goals you had set and then keep believing that everything is possible :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing,
xx
Patricia & Miguel
www.freeoversea.com
Thank you so much. Couldn't agree more with you!
DeleteI've never heard of Kaizen before but I love learning new things, especially when I can apply them to my own life! I really like what it stands for and I definitely think I can get better at accepting small steps as being worthy to reach the ultimate goal!
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DeleteI am all about personal development and changing yourself for better! The Kaizen way seems something I relate to! I totally agree taking small steps is the way to go about it!
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Ankita | Real Girl Talks
http://realgirltalks.com/
Instagram
Small steps and consistency are the keys. Hope you're having a wonderful week!
DeleteRewarding yourself along the way is so important! The last thing you want to do is feel unmotivated and give up!
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Of course, it's so important because it motivates us to get things done and reach the goal.
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